Colin: Receiving Our Inheritance

Firstly, some network news. Thanks to The Journey and Vicky’s leadership, the Methodist Church in Virginia Water has asked us to partner with them. 

Bearing in mind Pioneer’s national partnership with the Methodists and our call to support it, this is a significant event! I visited them one Sunday and met their small congregation. Interestingly, my personal meditation on scripture that day was the same as theirs used in the service. It was the parable of the mustard seed and I felt the Spirit say not to look down on the smallness of that church but to expect it to grow and bless its community. It’s so important to know God is with us in every aspect of our lives, so please be watchful for these kinds of signs. More recently a few of us prayer-walked the area around the church with their leaders. It’s early days but we are seeking wisdom from the Lord to know how we might help them. If you are interested in helping us strengthen them, please contact me.

The Pastures Church in High Wycombe has joined Pioneer and is linking through River. The person who leads this church of about 80-100 folk is a chap called Trevor Lewis, a man of great faith and vision. They run an excellent range of children’s and youth clubs every Friday afternoon/evening and are looking to make their church the heart of their community. They are also currently looking to redevelop their site and build a café and conference facility that could seat up to 300 people. Trevor is keen to work closely with us and will be attending some of our Open Team meetings on Tuesday mornings at the Windsor Hall. Come along if you’d like to meet him.

Ignite starts this week and this year we are running two courses: a day time one 9am-5pm Mondays and an evening one 7-10pm Wednesdays. The aim is to help the students grow in their faith to bring heaven’s blessings to earth and so help them lead in their workplaces and communities. I’m so Receiving Our Inheritance pleased that this year we have been able to make the fantastic teaching and discipleship culture of Ignite available to those who have full time careers. We already have a good number signed up to both courses, including three from St Peters in Maidenhead making them the first church to partner with us locally in this exciting venture! The Spirit is clearly encouraging this work and it is growing; last year we were one of three centres across Pioneer running Ignite, this year there will be seven! Please pray for the teachers and students as I feel this is one of the ways the Lord is preparing His church for a revival in our land.

These are some of the firstfruits of River stepping into our calling and inheritance to be a network to serve churches in our region and to bless our nation. It’s not about building an empire but responding in obedience to what we believe the Lord has spoken to us.

This summer I have been inspired to dream bigger dreams because of the great inheritance we have in Christ. Reading Augustus (a novel by John Williams about the first Roman Emperor), I understood what adoption meant in the Apostle Paul’s day. To us, adoption is about belonging to a family, but to the Romans it was about inheritance. This was clear to all because the emperors of Rome were adopted into their roles! Tiberius was Augustus’ stepson and hence a part of his family for many years before he was adopted as his heir signifying he was to be the next emperor. The title, wealth and favour of the emperor went to his adopted son.

Most of us don’t really believe our lives are significant, and consequently we don’t dream big enough dreams. Knowing we are His adopted sons (Romans 8:15-17), receiving His name, His wealth and His favour changes what we expect and, therefore, the way we live.

Maybe we can change the world!

Andy: Interdependence Day

In our Western culture the goal of maturity has often been seen as being an independent person – standing on our own two feet, not needing input or support from anyone else, strong, making up our own mind. Sound familiar? So many of us have been brought up to believe that this is the way to be if we are to be successful and respected.

Then some of us get married and we discover that independence is suddenly not the only value. We promise – covenant – to give all that we are to the other person. So, at home we realise that we rely on one another. In successful marriages it isn’t a case of one way dependence on the part of one party to the other, but interdependence, recognising our separate strengths and weaknesses. In marriages that last, and last well, each partner recognises that they truly need the other.

But still there is that value of independence in society. It has often been the aspect that has been rewarded at work. Perhaps it is a more ‘male’ value – and that helps to explain the power structures that have often existed - still exist – in the workplace. In another sphere it is reflected in our model of adversarial politics, where it seems impossible for one party to acknowledge anything good in the policies and practice of another.

And yet… I believe there is something in the heart of men and women that longs for something else. Longs for a greater sense of community and sharing and less unhelpful competition with each other. And of course we shouldn’t be surprised by this!

Gen 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” God, who is in Himself community - Father, Son and Holy Spirit – says that humanity is made in that same image. As surely as we have His DNA permeating our very being, we are made for community. Jesus made His oneness with the Father (John 10) and dependence upon the Father (John 5) clear. He told us that the Spirit would come to teach us – and would glorify Him (John 16). He prayed that we would be caught up and included in on the relationship that He enjoyed within the Godhead (John 17). What a picture of mutual honour, respect and love! This is the image of God in us.

But of course, interdependence doesn’t just happen. It needs decisions and actions. Some of you will have heard me quote a saying in the Kikuyu language of Kenya – “Ndugu ni makinya’ – three words which literally mean “Friendship is steps”. Wrapped up in three simple words is a wealth of meaning. We cannot say that we are friends with people unless we actually take the time, effort and sacrifice of taking steps toward them – figurative, and at times literal, steps. Here is a whole theology of incarnation and mission, but let’s save that for another time! For now, let’s simply recognise the need for us to take steps to build friendship and interdependence. Those of us who have been married for more than a year (or shorter!) will know that this is true!

So finally, what does that mean for us here, now, in River Church, as several congregations united under a single apostolic vision? Will we rise up to the challenge of real interdependence, with servant hearts looking to see the best in each other, and make the best happen with our ‘steps’? What will that look like now? And what will that look like as we go on into the future, with new churches planted, added and adopted?